Simple Ways To Increase Your Productivity at University

Staying productive whilst at university is a big challenge, and one that is significantly harder for the current generation. This struggle is largely due to the invention of super-fast broadband giving access to TV & movie streaming services and social media. Previous generations will have no doubt found it hard to focus and knuckle down at times, but now owning a smart phone means that Facebook or Twitter updates are just a swipe away. This has made lower productivity a far bigger issue than in previous years and an ever growing problem.

The Collegiate team have been hard at work researching the best ways for you to stay productive at university. These study tips should help you to maintain your focus and increase your productivity so you can enjoy your summer without worrying about how you have fared with your exams and coursework.

How To Increase Your Productivity

Maintaining productivity is clearly easier said than done, otherwise we wouldn’t be producing this guide, but just how can you guarantee that you are on your a-game when it matters?

This is very much down to the individual and knowing exactly what you find to be the most distracting, but we have managed to nail down the main reasons why students tend to find this difficult, and how you can solve this conundrum.

Break Down Work Into Chunks – One of the main reasons for students, and indeed anyone else, is being overwhelmed by large amounts of work. If you break down your coursework or revision into small chunks, even if they are dotted around the day, then you may find it a lot easier to make progress.

Why not set out a schedule which lays out all the work you need to complete and break it up? Even if this means you sacrificing a day off, but have less arduous study periods ahead of you it could mean the difference between completing your assignments to the required standard or not.

Don’t Procrastinate – Linked to the last point is procrastination. We are all guilty of leaving things until the last minute but this is something you simply cannot do with your university work as it will end up just not being done, or rushed. The result of this will inevitably be sub-standard work which won’t do you any justice.

If you think you should be working on something but you have social or family commitments, remember that you only get one crack at your degree and that your coursework and revision should come first. Here are some great anti-procrastination tips, but if you can work out how to get your studies completed in good time then you will have a great competitive edge over your peers.

Get Yourself Comfortable – This is one of those study tips that is often overlooked but can make all the difference when it comes to your productivity, and that is comfort. If you are sat on an uncomfortable wooden chair, or perhaps in a cold room, you are just not going to be focused and your work will not be of a sufficient calibre.

If you know you have a period of intense study ahead then you could do a lot worse than investing in a comfortable office chair with lumbar support. If this is where you are going to be sat for the next month or so, why not ensure you don’t ruin your posture? You can then give your studies your full and undivided attention.

Remember, if you are in Collegiate accommodation, every one of our studios, en-suites and on-site study rooms are furnished with large desk areas and our study rooms have been specifically designed for both group and individual study.

Social Media Ban – Although this may sound like the most preposterous idea ever suggested by anyone ever, a social media ban whilst you are doing your work is probably one of the best ways to help you study.
As we have already discussed, this is a fairly new issue, but is one that has significantly impacted results for students who find it hard to focus.

If you are in the middle of some crucial reading, or you are writing an essay, and one of your friends comes online for a chat then it is fully understandable that this could distract you. So why not turn it off when you know you simply have to get your work done. Although this sounds utterly boring we are sure this will result in a massive boost to your productivity and therefore your final grades.

How To Stop Procrastinating

Time management, social media and comfort are important factors, but the issue of procrastination is definitely the one we feel is most salient when it comes to your productivity. We have done some digging into the best ways to deal with this, as we know from experience that it is easier said than done to not put doing work off.
Learning how to not procrastinate is somewhat of an art and these study tips can help:

Stop Thinking Start Doing: The minute you start thinking about your task – why not just get going? Even if you just make a start it will be better than going out for a drink or watching that soap on television and then feeling guilty about it afterwards.

Don’t Overthink Tasks: A key reason for procrastination can often be blowing it out of proportion. If you are daunted by a task then the chances are far higher that you are going to put it off. Remember that you are more than able to complete this task, so why not just attack it?

Start Big: Similarly, why not get to grips with the hardest part of your workload first? If you can get this completed then the rest of your revision or coursework could seem like a walk in the park and the chances of procrastination will be dramatically reduced. Again, you are more than capable of doing even the hardest parts of your degree, so why not get them done as quickly as possible, and remember – they can also be the most rewarding.

Follow these tips and we believe that the next few months of your studies and the climax of the academic year will be all the more successful for you. Exercise a little bit of discipline and confidence, and you will find your productivity sky rockets and your need to procrastinate reduces significantly.

Our accommodation at Collegiate recognises your need for quiet study space, and we ensure that you have the most modern and comfy furnishings to help you study.

As always, you can find more resources just like this one in our student advice section.